dusty smell in hoouse

[rana_chappal]

My house is 12 years old and when i enter the house it has a dusty smell, I don't know where it is coming from. I have a cellouse attic insulation, my carpets is 12 years old I got it steam cleaned, I got my duct cleaned and i use good furnace filter and replace it every 4 months. does the cellouse insulation in attic cause this, if so, how can it pass through the drywall and what can i do about it or is there something else which can cause dusty smell

rana

[Todd H.]

Have you had the place all that time, or are you new to it?

12 year old carpet pad has my vote. Steam cleaning won't get everything, unfortunately. Perhaps an old fabric couch? If it's dusty/musty, you may have a water infiltration problem near a window you'll want to hunt down quickly, or a roof leak issue that isn't presenting itself anywhere visible. Or if you're new to the house, perhaps the old owner was a smoker, and the goop is on the walls in the wallboard, etc. It'll eventually dissipate if you're lucky.

I owned a house a smoker lived in and only smoked in the garage. That garage smelled like a** for about 6 months, and then stopped being noticeable when I came home. If you're in teh house long enough at a given stretch, you get used to it, but smells at least for me are most discernible when I first arrive from being out in the fresh air.

I'd be surprised if insulation had anything to do with it, unless it has gotten wet.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

[Charles Schuler]

My guess would be mold. Do you live in a humid location?